Gov. Asa Hutchinson campaigns for President in Iowa

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Former Arkansas Governor hit the campaign trail at the Iowa State Fair, looking to boost his numbers amid a crowded field of candidates.

Gov. Hutchinson said he wants people in Iowa to see he can relate to them.

“I want them to understand that I grew up on a farm, that I cleaned chicken houses and that I understand their agricultural roots here,” Gov. Hutchinson said Thursday at the state fair. “And state fairs and county fairs are very important to me.”

Gov. Hutchinson is in the minority of GOP candidates who has criticized former President Donald Trump’s campaign.

“If he was not selfish, if he looked out for the best interests of the country, he would step aside,” Gov. Hutchinson told Gray Television reporter Brendan Cullerton. “There’s too much on his plate, it’s a distraction.”

Gov. Hutchinson added he’s concerned about Trump’s motivations for running again.

“He’s made it clear that if he becomes president again, it’s about retribution,” Gov. Hutchinson said. “It’s about his agenda and authoritarianism, and it’s just not good for America.”

Gov. Hutchinson has not yet qualified for the first GOP debate less than two weeks away. As of Friday he had reached the polling requirement, but had not reached the donor requirement.

The Iowa State Fair can provide a boost to candidates who are behind in polling or fundraising.

“This is like the kickoff for the fall campaign,” Gov. Hutchinson said. “We get signatures here, get support here, we get to do fun things like flip pork burgers and and speak on a stump.”

Asa Hutchinson served as Arkansas’ governor from 2015 to 2023. Before he was governor, Hutchinson spent time as an Arkansan Congressman and in George W. Bush’s administration.

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